Gary's day

After a cold week Sunday was a lovely mild day so we all had high hopes of a few fish feeding - especially after the last match at Hall Farm. Well the weights were much improved on paper but it was still a rock hard day.

I was pretty happy with drawing peg 4. The colour had dropped out of the water, I could see the bottom 3-4 ft down, but the winds of the last few weeks had finally died down so I could fish a long pole to put some distance between me and the fish (well that was the theory). I even set up a waggler in case I needed to get out a bit further. After 2 hours on the feeder (maggot, cage and method - I tried them all) without a sign memories of the last Hall Farm match came to mind. By this time Phil had had a couple of carp and a perch on peg 12 so we knew some fish were feeding - just not anywhere but peg 12 at that stage. After an hour on pole and waggler without a sign things were getting desperate - even the micro perch were not feeding. Then, about 3 hours in, Peter on peg 2 had 2 carp in quick succession and I thought the fish might finally be switching on. An hour later and with no signs on the pole I decided to sit it out on the feeder and bomb to the end and, at just before 2:30, I had my one and only bite and very carefully played a 3lb F1.

1st Phil Whitmill 17lbs, 2nd Peter Green 8lbs 2oz and 3rd Gary Pickard 3lbs 4oz. Picture today is Peter on peg 2.